The supreme leader of the Taliban has been on the list of an anti-Hindu conference in the US for four years, flagged Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA). The group mentioned the details of the conference that was held four years back in 2021, with an anti-Hindu agenda at Rutgers University in the United States.
The topic of the conference was “Dismantling Global Hindutva (DGH)”, and two professors, Prof. Audrey Truschke and Prof. Sahar Aziz at the said university played a “key role in targeting Hindus“. The report that was published has a list of academic supporters who backed the study. And among them, proudly sits Hibatullah Akhundzada, Taliban’s supreme leader.
Who is Hibatullah Akhundzada?
Officially referred to as the leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, commander of the faithful, and scholar of the Quran and the hadiths (Prophet Muhammad’s sayings), Hibatullah Akhundzada is supreme leader of Taliban. What he says becomes law and the regime follows the way he wants.
According to a 2023 report of Voice of America (VoA), only some high-ranking officials are said to have seen or met him. A photo with long black beard and white turban is the only image reportedly available. It was clicked in 1990 for a passport, the VoA said.
He decides everything in the Taliban – appointment of ministers, judges, district administrators – everything.
‘Academics who support dismantling of Hindtutva’
Highlighting the details of the conference and its report, the CoHNA group mentioned that some Hindu researchers found this “interesting name on that list of academic supporters”.
“The 2021 Dismantling Global Hindutva (DGH) Conference has been in news, thanks to the recent CSRR report published by Prof. Audrey Truschke and Prof. Sahar Aziz at @RutgersU , targeting Hindus. Both played a key role in the 2021 conference. The DGH organizers were also very proud of the “academic support” their conference had received -widely publicizing a list of those who had signed in support!” it said.
“Sitting proudly at #795 is “Hibatullah Akhundzada, Majlis – e – Shura,” it added.
The 2021 Dismantling Global Hindutva (DGH) Conference has been in news, thanks to the recent CSRR report published by Prof. Audrey Truschke and Prof. Sahar Aziz at @RutgersU , targeting Hindus. Both played a key role in the 2021 conference. The DGH organizers were also very proud… pic.twitter.com/BZFEXmTBgh
— CoHNA (Coalition of Hindus of North America) (@CoHNAOfficial) November 13, 2025
“Who is he? According to progressive sources like Wikipedia, this man is the supreme leader of Afghanistan under the Taliban!” the X post by the group added. They mentioned that Akhundzada led the Taliban since 2016 and came to power in 2021 – which is “about the same time the infamous “academic” conference was being planned”.
“Let that sink in. These are the kinds of “academics” who support the “dismantling” of Hindtutva!” it added.
Is this ‘academic freedom’?
Further questioning the “academic freedom” basis on which the conference was held, the group mentioned that till now, the Taliban leader is on the list of academic supporters.
“For 4+ years now, a Taliban leader has been proudly included in a list we presume was checked and curated by various academics like Prof. #AudreyTruschke,” it said.
“Would the universities that lent their names and brands to the conference, care to take a look at what is being sponsored under the guise of “academic freedom”?” the post further read.
The X post also features the photos of both professors, and the Taliban leader with “United in Anti-Hindu Hate” on the poster.
